The Publication For Garage Professionals

TRISTAN Shale-Hester dons his Santa hat and fur-trimmed red coat to bring you details of some great new products (and a few seasonal gift ideas) that might tempt you this holiday season.

Machine Mart Gift Card

How much:£20-£250 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

Why not treat a fellow mechanic to one of Machine Mart’s offerings of gift cards, allowing them to claim whatever their heart desires from the specialist equipment supplier? The cards start at a value of £20, with more expensive ones costing £30, £40, £50, £75, £100, £150, £200 and, finally, £250.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Softshell Jacket

How much:£124.60 (inc VAT)Where from:shop.mercedesamgf1.com

It’s common for garages to get very cold at this time of year, so what’s a better gift than something to keep you warm? The answer is something to keep you warm and make you look like a member of the 2017 F1 World Championship winning team! This water-repellent jacket from Mercedes- AMG will do exactly that, keeping the cold out as well as being embroidered with various team and sponsor logos.

Nextgear 312GW Dashcam

How much:£99.99 (inc VAT)Where from:nextbase.co.uk

Dashcams are very useful devices to have available and it’s always worth sticking one in a customer’s car before you take it for a test drive, so if there’s some sort of accident, you can prove it wasn’t your fault. The Nextgear 312GW is a highly popular model, as it’s easy to use and has plenty of connectivity capabilities, such as built-in wi-fi.

Omologato James Hunt Chronograph Watch

How much:£599 (inc VAT)Where from:omologatowatches.com

Timekeeping is important in any business, and workshops are no exception – so why not do it in the style of the coolest F1 driver of all time? Celebrating what would have been the 70th birthday of James Hunt, this Omologato chronograph watch has been dedicated to his memory. It’s a limited-edition model – one of just 750 – so you’d better get your order in quick!

Autoglym Bodywork, Wheels and Interior Collection

How much:£65.60 (inc VAT)Where from:autoglym.com

Customers love it when they arrive at the garage to pick up their car and find it’s been given a complimentary clean and valet. With this collection from Autoglym, you can do a sterling job of polishing up any vehicle that passes through your workshop. The set includes bodywork shampoo, wheel cleaner and interior shampoo, as well as other cleaning products and the accessories you need to apply them properly.

Electralight 3W COB LED head torch

How much:£7.19 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

This ultra-bright head torch from Electralight is great for brightening things up when you need both your hands to work, especially on those dark winter nights. It features a multi-angle adjustable head, making your task even easier.

Laser Tools Ratchet Screwdriver Set

How much:£36.58 (inc VAT)Where from:lasertools.co.uk

This set comes with a 36-tooth ratchet screwdriver, with 20 assorted bits and nine chrome vanadium sockets. The screwdriver is both comfortable and well balanced, with storage space for six bits in the handle. The different shaft options mean you have three screwdriver sizes in one handy package.

Clarke CCO14C Abrasive Cut-Off Saw

How much:£131.98 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

This robust and powerful high-speed saw from Clarke can slice through metal in a quick and clean manner. It has a quick release vice assembly, adjusts from zero to 45 degrees for angled cutting and has a carry handle for increased portability.

Clarke CDP452B 550W Bench-Mounted Drill Press

How much:£274.80 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

The Clarke CDP452B bench-mounted drill press has a 550W motor and a 16-speed design, so it’s both powerful and precise. The chuck capacity is 16mm and it comes with a work light for flexible and easy use.

Scalextric Arc Pro Platinum GT Set

How much:£549.99 (inc VAT)Where from:scalextric.com

Sure to be a popular addition to any customer waiting room, this amazing Scalextric set allows up to six people to race at once. You can use a smartphone app to personalise the race and set it up just the way you want it. It features overtaking, lane-changing, pit stops and KERS, and takes into account variable weather conditions, tyre wear and fuel consumption.

Mightymast Leisure Typhoon Hockey & Table Tennis Table

How much:£164.00 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

If you don’t fancy supplying your waiting customers with the Scalextric set above, how about this? It’s a six-foot-long air hockey table, featuring an electronic scoreboard and a mains-operated fan motor. What’s more, it comes with a detachable table tennis board. The set includes pushers, pucks, bats, balls and a net, so it has everything your customers need to entertain themselves while you do the hard graft!

Laser Tools Brake Pedal Pushrod Separator Pliers

How much:£73.15 (inc VAT)Where from:lasertools.co.uk

These Laser Tools pliers can be used to separate the ball end of the brake pedal push rod from the plastic brake pedal used on VAG vehicles. This is useful when you’re replacing the servo and the master cylinder.

Laser Tools Dead Blow Hammer

How much:£205.75 (inc VAT)Where from:lasertools.co.uk

This dead blow hammer from Laser Tools is perfect for removing seized wheels that have become welded to the hub through corrosion. It has a soft face, which can be struck against the tyre to shock and dislodge corrosion on the inner rim.

Kielder KWT-002CS Cordless 18V Impact Wrench

How much:£221.99 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

This Kielder impact wrench is powered by a digital brushless motor, enabling the tool to offer high torque in a small package. It has a dip and pin drive and increased dust protection. Although a heavy-duty unit, it is lightweight and easy to manoeuvre. It has a variable speed trigger that offers full control in both forward and reverse modes.

Draper 43618 Moisture Meter

How much:£21.59 (inc. VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

The Draper 43618 moisture meter is able to accurately tell the user how much water is contained in wood, plaster or concrete. The LCD screen displays this figure as a percentage, as well as showing ambient room temperature.

Clarke CSR5350BP Boltless Shelving Unit

How much:£59.98 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

this boltless shelving unit from Clarke is ideal for storing items in your workshop. Instead of traditional nut and bolt fixings, it uses slot and pin locking mechanisms, so it’s not only easy to assemble, but is safer too, as it has a rolled-edge finish with no sharp edges. The unit has a load capacity per shelf of 350kg evenly distributed, meaning it can easily be used to store power tools and other weighty equipment.

Clarke IG2200 2.2kW Inverter Generator

How much:£466.80 (inc VAT)Where from:machinemart.co.uk

The Clarke IG2200 portable generator utilises inverter technology in order to act as a stable power source for sensitive equipment. It has a continuous output of 2kW and a maximum output of 2.2kW. It features an air-cooled four-stroke engine and an eco- throttle, which automatically adjusts engine speed to match the load for decreased fuel consumption and noise.

Clarke PC 60 Phase Converter

How much:£382.80 (inc VAT )Where from:machinemart.co.uk

This compact power converter from Clarke enables 400- 415V, three-phase motors and equipment to function when only 230V mains power is available, by converting one-phase output into three-phase output.